Western Plains Regional Development Inc - Project Officer Suicide Prevention Project in the Weddin Shire Chad White said there are plenty of events that have happened and coming up. Mr White is available to speak to at the Grenfell and Weddin Home and Community Care Centre on Short Street in Grenfell. As published on the front page of the Grenfell Record Weddin Shire celebrated RU OK Day at Lions Park in Grenfell on Thursday with a sausage sizzle and a showcase of support for mental health and wellbeing available to locals from across the region. On Friday September 13 at The Henry Lawson High School the unveiling of six RU OK? benches to be issued to each school in the Weddin Shire. The program has been run in conjunction with the Western Plains Development fund and funded by Western NSW Primary Health Network and run by Mr White and Henry Lawson High School woodwork teacher Mr Amey along with a donation from Weddin Shire Council. "Not having much support services out in small rural towns for youth I thought what is it that the Suicide Prevention Project, community, schools and our Council can do to help our youth," Mr White said. "What skills could we teach them and how could we raise awareness around mental health issues? This is where the bench comes in to play." According to Mr White the idea came to him to help create a space that's comfortable, inviting, friendly and is an excellent way to get students, friends and colleagues asking the question every day of the year - RU OK? Mr White, Mr Amey and students in Years 9 and 10 at The Henry Lawson High School have been working together to initiate the program. Two students from the program will travel with Mr White to each of the schools in the Council area to present schools with a bench and explain the ideas around them. "It is also great for the students at the smaller schools as it will give them something familiar when they do attend the high school," Mr White said. The unveiling of the RU OK? benches will take place at The Henry Lawson High School from 10am on Friday September 13. Locals and visiting health staff made the most of a two day course offered through the Western Plains Regional Development Inc - Project Officer Suicide Prevention Project in Weddin Shire in August. A total of 17 participants took part in the two days of training on August 15 and 16 at the Grenfell Bowling Club where they learned how to apply a Suicide Prevention model to help care givers assess if someone may be at risk of suicide, explore how to connect with someone in ways to help understand and clarify that risk, increase their immediate safety and link them with further help. Out of the 17 participants at the course only four were from outside of Grenfell. Originally there were more local staff signed up to do the course, however due to staff shortages only 17 were able to attend. With plans for further and similar courses in the future, Grenfell and Weddin residents can rest assured that local staff are more than fully equipped to assess and deal with mental health issues. Lifeline and the Suicide Prevention Project in Weddin Shire will be hosting a free two day workshop at the Grenfell Bowling Club for locals. All education, health, allied health, community, higher education, childcare frontline workers, or anyone working one on one with people are encouraged to sign up to take part in the course which will be held on October 23 and 24. What are the benefits of the training? If anyone would like further information they can email to sbray@lifelinecentralwest.org.au or call Sally Bray on 1300 798 258 ext 108. The program is being run in partnership between Suicide Prevention Weddin Shire and Lifeline Central West and funded by the Department of Community Services (DoCs). There are limited spots to attend so anyone interested is urged to get in quickly to reserve a spot. The program will also be offered in Cowra for those who cannot make it to the Grenfell course on November 6 and 7. To register and book a spot at the Grenfell course go to https://lifeline.jobreadyplus.com/terminal/online_book_course/2841. Suicide Prevention Project is teaming up with Flourish Australia to turn positives into artwork throughout the month of October in celebration of Mental Health Month. Karen from Flourish Australia and Chad White from Suicide Prevention Project will be walking in the Main Street of Grenfell on Tuesday October 1 asking locals to write their inspirations for mental health on a piece of ribbon that will be tied to create 'A Safety Net'. The 'Safety Net' will then be displayed at the Hub for a week, at the Grenfell Medical Centre for a week, the Grenfell Pharmacy for a week and a Lachlan Fertilizer for a week so that the whole community can continue to add to the artwork. At the end of the month the finished product will be on display in a shopfront window so everyone can see how the artwork was created and developed.

A very busy time for the Suicide Prevention Project in Grenfell

Western Plains Regional Development Inc - Project Officer Suicide Prevention Project in the Weddin Shire Chad White said there are plenty of events that have happened and coming up.

Mr White is available to speak to at the Grenfell and Weddin Home and Community Care Centre on Short Street in Grenfell.

R U OK Day

As published on the front page of the Grenfell Record Weddin Shire celebrated RU OK Day at Lions Park in Grenfell on Thursday with a sausage sizzle and a showcase of support for mental health and wellbeing available to locals from across the region.

R U OK benches

On Friday September 13 at The Henry Lawson High School the unveiling of six RU OK? benches to be issued to each school in the Weddin Shire.

The program has been run in conjunction with the Western Plains Development fund and funded by Western NSW Primary Health Network and run by Mr White and Henry Lawson High School woodwork teacher Mr Amey along with a donation from Weddin Shire Council.

"Not having much support services out in small rural towns for youth I thought what is it that the Suicide Prevention Project, community, schools and our Council can do to help our youth," Mr White said.

"What skills could we teach them and how could we raise awareness around mental health issues? This is where the bench comes in to play."

According to Mr White the idea came to him to help create a space that's comfortable, inviting, friendly and is an excellent way to get students, friends and colleagues asking the question every day of the year - RU OK?

Mr White, Mr Amey and students in Years 9 and 10 at The Henry Lawson High School have been working together to initiate the program.

Two students from the program will travel with Mr White to each of the schools in the Council area to present schools with a bench and explain the ideas around them.

"It is also great for the students at the smaller schools as it will give them something familiar when they do attend the high school," Mr White said.

The unveiling of the RU OK? benches will take place at The Henry Lawson High School from 10am on Friday September 13.

EDUCATION: 17 participants took part in the Assist training offered in Grenfell at the Bowling Club. Photo: supplied.

Assist training to help educate local health carers

Locals and visiting health staff made the most of a two day course offered through the Western Plains Regional Development Inc - Project Officer Suicide Prevention Project in Weddin Shire in August.

A total of 17 participants took part in the two days of training on August 15 and 16 at the Grenfell Bowling Club where they learned how to apply a Suicide Prevention model to help care givers assess if someone may be at risk of suicide, explore how to connect with someone in ways to help understand and clarify that risk, increase their immediate safety and link them with further help.

Out of the 17 participants at the course only four were from outside of Grenfell.

Originally there were more local staff signed up to do the course, however due to staff shortages only 17 were able to attend.

With plans for further and similar courses in the future, Grenfell and Weddin residents can rest assured that local staff are more than fully equipped to assess and deal with mental health issues.

Suicide Prevention Project Weddin Shire Project Officer Chad White.

Domestic Violence Alert training

Lifeline and the Suicide Prevention Project in Weddin Shire will be hosting a free two day workshop at the Grenfell Bowling Club for locals.

All education, health, allied health, community, higher education, childcare frontline workers, or anyone working one on one with people are encouraged to sign up to take part in the course which will be held on October 23 and 24.

Points for professional development, specifically for nurses (Continuing Professional Development/CPD hours of the mandatory 20-hour requirement for annual registration; 13 Continuing Nurse Education/CNE hours of the 30-hour professional development annual requirement

Opportunity to network with other frontline workers in the community

Improved referral knowledge through increased knowledge of resources and support

If anyone would like further information they can email to sbray@lifelinecentralwest.org.au or call Sally Bray on 1300 798 258 ext 108.

The program is being run in partnership between Suicide Prevention Weddin Shire and Lifeline Central West and funded by the Department of Community Services (DoCs).

There are limited spots to attend so anyone interested is urged to get in quickly to reserve a spot.

The program will also be offered in Cowra for those who cannot make it to the Grenfell course on November 6 and 7.

October is Mental Health Month

Suicide Prevention Project is teaming up with Flourish Australia to turn positives into artwork throughout the month of October in celebration of Mental Health Month.

Karen from Flourish Australia and Chad White from Suicide Prevention Project will be walking in the Main Street of Grenfell on Tuesday October 1 asking locals to write their inspirations for mental health on a piece of ribbon that will be tied to create 'A Safety Net'.

The 'Safety Net' will then be displayed at the Hub for a week, at the Grenfell Medical Centre for a week, the Grenfell Pharmacy for a week and a Lachlan Fertilizer for a week so that the whole community can continue to add to the artwork. At the end of the month the finished product will be on display in a shopfront window so everyone can see how the artwork was created and developed.